The best road cycling routes around Chaumont-Sur-Tharonne

The parish church, dedicated to Saint Stephen, belonged in the 13th century to the Abbey of Micy near Orléans. It was rebuilt at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th centuries. It consists of a long nave, 35 meters in length and over 9 meters wide, ending in a three-sided apse. Its walls, built of rubble and rendered brick, are reinforced by dressed stone buttresses. The cornice at the base of the roof and the window and door surrounds are also made of molded dressed stone. The double-lancet windows with trefoil topped by a figure-eight shaped bilobe are identical, except for those on the west facade and the central window, which are more elaborate, featuring three lancets while retaining the same molding. An addition was made at the beginning of the 16th century. On the north side stands an imposing seigneurial chapel and a massive bell tower with eight flat buttresses, two on each face, all built of brick. Ashlar is reserved for the buttresses of the bell tower and alternates with brick in the buttresses of the chapel; it is used for framing the openings, the windows, and the sloping sides of the chapel's gable. A lozenge-shaped decoration of black bricks on a background of pink bricks has been preserved on the lower level and on part of the gable of this chapel. The chapel was the only vaulted part of the church, undoubtedly financed by Jean or Claude d'Estampes, lord of La Ferté-Nabert. The rest of the building was covered by a panelled vault, the replacement of which with a false ribbed vault of plaster resulted in the disappearance of the tie beams and king posts and ruined the structural integrity of the roof frame. This artificial, cold, and superficial decoration of the upper sections deprives the interior of the interplay of tie beams and king posts. These, in their rhythm, corresponded to the lateral openings and reflected the robust structure of the timber frame that protected the building. A comprehensive restoration is planned. Initially, for the north chapel—masonry, roofing, and timber frame—the French Heritage Society (Sauvegarde de l’Art français) provided €30,490 in 2001.

The two periods of construction of the chapel are clearly distinguishable: the timber-framed walls date from 1600, while the brick façade and walls date from 1863. The Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows, which had been falling into ruin for many years, holds a special place in the heritage of Pierrefitte. Historians have pondered this legend, which is also found in other villages. Louis de la Saussaye (a 19th-century historian) offers a rational explanation for the chapel's location: Everyone knows that Pierrefitte owes its name to "Pierre fichée," meaning a planted stone. This stone marked the boundary between two Gallic tribes and also served as a religious monument. The Catholic religion was emerging and developing, but this stone remained an object of veneration until quite late in the Middle Ages (1100-1200). The presence of the legendary oxen licking the stone is explained by the fact that the local people secretly worshipped the last remaining monument of the ancient cult and, as tradition dictated, sprinkled milk and honey upon it. The chapel would therefore have been built on the site of this Gallic stone. All of this, of course, is only legend or hypothesis, but written documents dating back to 1600 (during the reign of Henry IV) allow us to glimpse the history of our chapel. In the 16th and 17th centuries, travelers taking the Orléans-Bourges road, whether on horseback or on foot, such as the stonemasons from La Marche who were returning in search of work, were accustomed to spending the night in one of the five inns or "hostelleries" in our village. The quality of these inns was indeed highly regarded at the time, and in the evening, people didn't hesitate to travel a few extra kilometers to stop at "La Croix Blanche," "Le Lion d'Or," "Le Sermon," "Le Trois Rois," or "Le Sauvage" (according to Henri Deletang). This was an opportunity to stop at the Chapel of the Leper Colony, and to care for their souls, Lord or peasant, merchant or beggar, didn't hesitate to throw a few offerings into it. There was a collection box placed within easy reach, but people preferred to toss coins through the bars onto the chapel floor.

Opposite Lamotte-Beuvron train station, La Maison Tatin welcomes you to a 19th-century house, the birthplace of the famous tarte Tatin. This charming hotel offers 16 comfortable rooms, a restaurant, a bar, a tea room, and a spa. Here, you'll discover traditional and refined cuisine, local and seasonal, served in a warm and authentic atmosphere. Ideally located in Sologne, La Maison Tatin is the perfect starting point for exploring the Loire Valley châteaux, the surrounding forests, and Beauval Zoo. A place where heritage, relaxation, and gourmet delights combine for an unforgettable stay.

The parish church of Saint-Étienne was at the disposal of the Abbot of Jargeau. Of Romanesque origin, the building has a single nave on which are grafted a chapel to the north and south, a straight bay under the bell tower, supported by a sacristy to the north and a polygonal choir. The latter belongs to the 16th century. It includes a three-sided apse preceded by a straight bay. The whole, vaulted with ribs, is lit by five bays with flamboyant tracery similar to the two windows of the bay of the bell tower, contemporary with the choir. This has a square plan. Four pillars projecting strongly from the interior of the nave, receiving the four arches which carry all the masonry of the bell tower, accentuate the tripartite division of the interior volume of the building. The open door, in the north gutter wall, on the sacristy rebuilt in the 20th century, is surmounted by two pinnacles resting on sculpted bases framing an accolade. The lintel was once decorated with a coat of arms. The nave, Romanesque in its external volumes, was necessarily reworked from the 16th to the 19th century. It was probably originally a simple framed vessel whose gutter walls were supported on the outside by flat buttresses with slight projections. In the 16th century, the paneled barrel vault, still preserved in the attic, was hidden by ribbed vaults; the engaged columns which receive the ribs, as well as the corner buttresses visible on the facade belong to this campaign of works. Subsequently, a rectangular chapel was attached to the north wall; the south chapel, built in brick and cut stone, dates from the 19th century, as do the six windows with trefoil lintels illuminating the nave, the rose window pierced in the facade and the gallery installed at its back. A brick vault replaced the 16th century vault on the nave. The semicircular portal, extensively reworked, was formerly protected by a timber-framed porch. The three parts of the building are clearly differentiated in the exterior elevation of the building. The nave, not very high, as well as the choir, with its more slender roof, are dominated by the silhouette of the bell tower. Square in plan, it has four levels punctuated by dripstones; the upper level is pierced with two twin bays per face. The bell tower is crowned by a timber spire. The Sauvegarde de l’Art Français granted aid of 50,000 F in 1993 for the repair of the exterior masonry.

Indeed a nice cool route, a little sheltered from the wind.

Beautiful church in the heart of Chaumont-sur-Tharonne, on a pretty well maintained square. The houses around the square are also worth a look.

The place is huge with many equestrian events.